July 2021 "The Guardians" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
My thoughts on some tracks (including my suggested ones):
Epica – “The Second Stone” (from “The Quantum Enigma”, 2014)
5/5. Interesting how this is my second clan playlist review in a row to have the word "Stone" in the title. This is an outstanding song from this talented band, creating epic metal music since the 2000s. I love the beautiful lyrics written by female vocalist Simone Simons that are some of the best by the band. They can blend beauty and brutality together in an awesome organic symphonic metal sound. Its album The Quantum Enigma is a better follow-up to Requiem for the Indifferent. However, Design Your Universe has been my #1 from them. I haven't listened to Epica for so long, and maybe one day I can listen to more of them again. The classical choir fits nicely for the best originality. Amazing guitar, great drums, audible bass, and natural vocals, all in great epic symphonic power metal! You might think of this band as Evanescence gone Rhapsody of maybe even Nightwish gone Behemoth, but the f***ing amazing original purity of their sound rolls on...
Yngwie Malmsteen – “Fire & Ice” (from “Fire & Ice”, 1992)
5/5. Great song with Malmsteen's riffs and leads, and the underrated vocals of Göran Edman. Simply a f***ing awesome song with fast arpeggios! Yngwie Malmsteen should be hailed as a pure metal legend.
Accept – “Lady Lou” (from “Accept”, 1979)
4.5/5. Here's a great song from one of the earliest albums by a band that started in the 70s and can still kick a** in the present. They are masters of high energy in music! If you're wondering who "Lady Lou" is, she's the hot chainsaw lady in the front cover. Not too bad for a song from a hard rock/heavy metal debut album, though later albums like Metal Heart and Russian Roulette have been remarkable ones for me. The background harmonies are some of the best. This is one of Accept's greatest hits and likely the best 70s metal song for me...
Witchfynde – “Ready To Roll” (from “Give ‘Em Hell”, 1980)
4/5. A year later, Witchfynde released an early example of Hell-themed lyrics in metal, which is great, but not enough appeal.
Grand Magus – “Steel Versus Steel” (from “Triumph & Power”, 2014)
3.5/5. This song is a bit cheesy in the chorus. The solo is good but could've been longer. So why the h*ll did I submit this? Well it is a great introductory song for newcomers in Grand Magus' fanbase, so here you go.
Angra – “Carry On” (from “Angels Cry”, 1993)
5/5. An awesome song for the Brazilian power metal scene to be filled with pride, thanks to the great vocals by the late Andre Matos. RIP... The "Unfinished Allegro" intro is also fantastic, but we're not talking about that right now.
Children Of Bodom – “Everytime I Die” (from “Follow The Reaper”, 2000)
4.5/5. Despite Children of Bodom being more of a melodeath band, I submitted this one in the Guardians playlist as a tribute to another recently fallen metal band frontman, lead vocalist/guitarist Alexi Laiho. It is also because Vinny's submission of Amorphis' "Black Winter Day" made me remember the "cover exchange" the two bands had with those two songs, so it seemed like an interesting parallel. Anyway, with this submission accepted thankfully and realizing how power metal-ish this song sounds, I decided to hold off my ideal judgement submission for its album Follow the Reaper for now. And yeah, I love this song! RIP Alexi and Bodom...
Bloodbound – “Eyes Come Alive” (from “Creatures Of The Dark Realm”, 2021)
4/5. Excellent song, though I probably would've been more interested in this band about 5 years ago...
Dragonland – “Shadow of the Mithril Mountains” (from “Under The Grey Banner”, 2011)
5/5. After beginning with a fantasy movie-like one-minute intro, the amazing symphonic power metal action rolls in with excellent lyrics. This was one of my favorite power metal songs 8 years ago, and it sounds nearly similar to Kamelot's "Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife)", which is why I wanted to submit that Kamelot song as well. Sadly, the only version of that Kamelot song available on Spotify is its recent live version which couldn't be accepted. Oh well. Let's just find out how the last song of the playlist sounds...
Cloven Hoof – “Bathory” (from “Age Of Steel”, 2020)
3.5/5. Of course, another good song from a band that I would've enjoyed more 5 years ago, yet not really the way I wanted the playlist to conclude. I still enjoyed the h*ll out of the other songs I've commented nonetheless...
Really impressed with the Iron Savior track, I definitely need to branch out into more of their stuff. I found a Grand Magus track that I like that isn't on Hammer of the North, although the song itself is really rescued by the solo.
Found I could sit through the Helloween track which is unusual for me but have literally no time for Angra and I still cannot stand King Diamond. Herzel intrigue me though. Normally I don't work to well with vocals in a foreign language but there's so much other goodness going on at the same time that it is hard not to be enamoured really. I still haven't checked them out beyond playlists though but need to get some time with the album at some point.
Judicator showed promise but I can't really get on with that vocal delivery, heard it too many times before for it to be done this blatantly without any variation or particularly outstanding elements elsewhere on the song to distract me/make things interesting. Similarly with Orden Ogan; has enough bite to begin with but gets watered down far too easily to hold the interest.
I realised today that I own that Children of Bodom album but have hardly ever played it. Nothing wrong with it really just a bit pedestrian and synth heavy but the guitar does really shine still throughout although feels more melodic death than straight up traditional metal. I do need more Bloodbound in my life though.